Amherst Voices

 This is the cutting edge of academic publishing. I think it has found its feet. 

Leah Schmalzbauer, professor of American studies and sociologySchmalzbauer chairs the editorial board for Amherst College Press, a pioneer in making scholarly publications freely available to the public.Share

Amherst Voices

 We have these special connections to places where we’ve lived and visited, and these places have a resonance with us, a sort of blurred memory that evokes emotional ephemera. 

Jason Robinson, associate professor of musicRobinson's new album, Resonant Geographies, was released on March 1, 2018, from pfMENTUM.Share

Amherst Voices

 I’ve found that if you decide to be very truthful as opposed to very factual, you’re gonna end up with a better script. 

Susannah Grant ’84Grant, screenwriter of Ever After, Pocohontas, Erin Brockovich (for which she was nominated for an Academy Award), The Soloist, Confirmation and the forthcoming biopic of Helen Gurley Brown.Share

The Liberal Arts

A liberal-arts education develops an individual’s potential for understanding possibilities, perceiving consequences, creating novel connections and making life-altering choices. It fosters innovative and critical thinking as well as strong writing and speaking skills. The liberal arts prepare students for many possible careers, meaningful lives and service to society.

Latest Videos

February 13, 2018

From the time he used to sneak into the Pratt Museum late at night to catalog fossils, Kirk Johnson ’82 has always seen the importance of preserving history in three-dimensional form. Now as the Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, where he is responsible for a collection of more than 145 million objects, Johnson sees more value in cataloguing natural history than ever before. Then, as now, Johnson believes that the true value of museums is in sharing, not only an understanding of the history of the planet and of humans, but of how the two interact.

November 15, 2017

Before his talk at Amherst College titled “How Not to Think About Race, Culture and Class,” author, professor and philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah sat down for an interview with Stefan Yong ’18. He discussed moral relativism, dignity, respect, and our capacity to recognize human suffering. —Video recorded and edited by Marcus DeMaio.

September 20, 2017

As part of our on-going Alumni in the Field series, where alumni reflect on their career paths and how their Amherst experience shaped their lives, Catherine Brownstein ’97 discusses how her liberal arts education at Amherst College prepared her for a profession that didn't even exist when she started her undergraduate journey. [Video transcript]

September 12, 2017

We sat down with William Taubman, the Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, and Pulitzer Prize Winner, to discuss his newly released book, Gorbachev: His Life and Times. On Sept. 14, Taubman and Pavel Machala read from the book in Cole Assembly Room, followed by a reception and book signing. Learn more

August 11, 2017

Amherst’s new science center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018. The state-of-the-art building will be a home for teaching and research and offer additional classrooms and gathering spaces for the entire campus. The science center also will set a new standard in energy efficiency. The average science building uses 250 kilo BTUs per square foot per year; we intend to reduce that number by 73%. [Video transcript]

April 10, 2017

In an interview with Cornell William Brooks, President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, we had an opportunity to ask him the following questions: What is the NAACP’s most important role today? What are other pressing issues for the NAACP? What are the most effective ways for young people to get involved? What advice do you have for students who want to follow your career path? — Video by Marcus DeMaio.

Arts of China

Description

Get to know Chinese art and its cultural contexts from neolithic times until the late 20th century. Topics include ritual bronze vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Buddha imagery, painting and calligraphy.

Environmental Movements

Description

Draw upon sociological research to understand diverse global environmental movements and proposed environmental solutions, which reflect a wide range of perspectives and interests, as well as social inequalities.

Videogames and the Boundaries of Narrative

Description

Explore how video gaming helps us conceptualize the boundaries between our experiences of the world and representations thereof. Play and analyze games while engaging texts from other critical and creative disciplines.

≠ (Inequality)

Description

Examine inequality in K-12 math education. How is variation in accomplishment in mathematics related to race, gender and socioeconomic class? How do public attitudes toward math affect student learning?

Puerto Rico: Diaspora Nation

Description

Examine the literary and cultural manifestations of the Puerto Rican diaspora. In partnership with the Holyoke Public Library, conduct oral history interviews in Holyoke, Mass., and in Puerto Rico during spring break.